Chair.



G. R. REBIVIANN L W. H. HULTGREN.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 1917. 1,2654. Patented May 7,1918.

` l* i' 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

5 wom/toas atto/Lne KMK G. R` REBMANN L W. H. HULTGREN.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FlLED APR. 12. 19l7. 1,265,38@

Patented May 7,

G. R. REBIVIANN IL W. H. HULTGREN.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. IZ. I9I7.

. Patented May 7,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

z I I I I I l I GODIREY n. HEBM'ANN, or PHILADELPHIA, P/ENNs'YLvANIA,AND WILLIAM H.

, HULTGHEII, or nosELLE PARK, NEW Jnnsnr.

CHAIR.

To all lwliomz't may concern.'

Beit known that we, GODFREY R. REB- MANN, a citizen of'the UnitedStates,- residl bers, surgeons, etc., and involves the use of `fluidactuated by compressedair or .otherf pressure" supply, for elevating andloweringthe seat of th'echair.

More particularly, the invention involves a chair, the seat of which issupported by two telescoping plungers, the latter being mounted foroperation within a casting vforming the base or pedestal for the. chair,and a reservoir containing an operating fluid, by means of which theplungers are main stationary. We have also providedl operated, yto movethe chair seat `up and down as desired. The operating fluid, which ispreferably oil, is actuated by -compressed air, the fluid and air beingcontrolled by two valves operated by either one of' two pedals, thelatter being so constructed and arranged, relative to the valves and toeach other, that depression of one of the pedals will cause the seat ofthe chair to move upwardly, and depression of the .other .will cause itto move downwardly. pressure on either pedal the chair will re- 'linterlocking mechanism for the pedals to prevent their simultaneousoperation.

ing device for the chair, to control its horizontal rotation, this brakebeing controlled'- bythe pedals and operated by a light presdown.

, We have provided also a brake or hol'dsure on eitherofthem, the valvesbeing constructed so as to permit this slight depression of the pedals,without, however, causing the chair to be moved either up or v`We haveprovided means by which' the chair seat when nearing either -limit ofits vertical travel, will be .broughtto rest grad.- uallyand withoutappreciable shock or jar.

YIn the drawings accompanying this appli- Lcation, Figure 1 is asectional elevation of Specification of Letters Patent.

With no Patenten May "z, isis.

Application ledApri112, 1917. Serial No. 161,896.

the base or pedestal ofthe chair; 2 is a sectional elevation view of theairA valve; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism connectingthe lpedals with the fluid and air valves, and shows also in partsecplan connectedto the fluid and air valves; and Fig. 6 is a sectiontaken through the base of the chair, lshowing the Lair valve in section.

Like characters` of reference designatev like parts in thevarious`figures.

Referring to the drawlngs 1n detail, and particularly to Fig. 1, acasting formingthe base for th chair is designated 1, and 2 deslaten towhich the seat of the ignates the chair is attached, and which ismountedv on the top of a hollow plunger 3. The lofwer end 'of thisplunger is provided with a plug 4 screwed thereinto. .Screwed into theplug 4 and entering the plunger 3 is amember 5,

to hold packing 6 in position'between the'v member 5 and lthe plug 4.Extending through the platen 2 lis a rod 7, the lower a needle valve,the purpose of which will be pointed out hereinafter. The plunger 3extends into and iskeyed to a hollowvplunger 8, the latter being mountedto -move inea cylinder 9 provided in the pedestal Orba-se 1. The lowerend of the plunger 8, carries a member 10 screwed thereinto, andconstituting in'conjunction withpacking 11 a bearing against the-cylinder 9. The mem-y ber10 has a projection 12, extending downwardlyinto a passage 13, communicatingA with` a reservoir 19, by way of' avalve cha-mber andp'assage 47.

The airvalve mechanism shown? in Fig. 2, comprises a casin 14withinwhich 1s a rod 15, mounted or vertical movement therein. Carried on thisrod is a valve 16,

end of which enters the member 5, to form adapted to be moved bythe rodto open and close a port 18 leadin'gthe vthe reservoir 19.

An exhaust port 17 isprovided in the cas- 'I ing 14, this port leadingtothe atmosphere.

The valve 1G is self-adjusting, in that it' is constructed to havelateral ifnovementI on the-rod 15, being pressed -rmly against its 'seatby th'e air under pressure, which is admitted to the casing 14 by way ofa pipe 20, which may be connected 'to any suitable source of pressuresupply.

The fluid valve 23, shown in Fig. 1, comprises a stuiing box 21, throu hwhich passes the rod 22, connected -to t e hinged slide valve V23, thisvalve controlling the passage of Huid to and from the reser-i voir 19..

The brake yor holding device, which we have provided to control therotation of the chair seat about its vertical axis, comprises, as willbeseen from Figs. 1 and 3, a bell crank lever 24, engaging at its upperend a member 25, which in turn engages a brake shoe 25 partiallysurrounding the plunger 8. The member 25 is provided for the purpose ofpreventing wear on the end of the lever 24, which would occur should thelever engage the brake shoe 25 directly. The other end of this lever isconnected by a nut 26, and a link 27 screwed thereinto, and a member 28,to a rod 29, the latter being adapted to slide in a guide 30 attached tothe pedestall. The nut 26 which is pivoted to the lower end of the lever24, and the y threaded member- 27, are provided for the purpose ofadjusting the brake pressureon the plunger 8, and also to take up suchlost motlon as may develop by reason of the wear of the brakemember 25and contigu.

ous parts.

The mechanism for operating the fluid and air valves, and the brakedevice, will now be described, this mechanism being best illustrated inFigs. 3, 4 and 5. The rod 22 to which the fluid valve 23 is pivotallyconnected,'is attached ,to a crosshead 32, this crosshead being mountedfor vertical movement upon a guide rod 33, the latter being held inposition in a guide casting 36. l The vother end of the crosshead 32 isconnected to the rod 15 carrying the air valve 16. The rod 33 extendsthrough the cross head 32, down through sleeves 37, 37, and a spring 34,and is free to be moved vertically, a head 35, being provided on itslower end, this head engaging the lower sleeve 37, as viewed in Fig. 3.The crosshead engages the upper sleeve 37 as viewed also in Fig. 3, sothat normally the rod 33 and therefore the crosshead 32 will be 'in theposit-ion shown in Fig. 3, being held in such position b v the action ofthe spring 34. n

Connected to the crosshead 32 by means of a link 38, are pedals 39 and40. The pedal carries an arm or lever 41, connected t0 the link 38andthe pedal 39, carries a simi- -lar arm or lever 42, operating uponthe lever 4 1 by'means ofv a pin 43.' The pin 43 is rigidly connected tothe lever 41, its other end enterlng a squared bushing 43', carried 1n aslot in thelever 42, and adapted to have a slight lon 'tudinal movementtherein.

Pressure on t e pedal 40, will, by means of the lever 41 and link 38,compress the spring 34, and move the crosshead 32 upwardly. So soon asthe pedal is released, the parts will assume the position shown in Fig.3, by reason of the spring 34. Pressure on the pedal 39 will compressthe spring 34 and move the crosshead 32, by means of the lever 42, pin43, lever 41, and link 38, in the opposite direction to which it waslmoved when the pedal 40 was operated. As before, the parts will returnto normal position when pressure on the pedal 39 is removed. Inasmuch asthe rod 29 of the brake device is connected tothe cross head 32, asshown in Fig. 3, it will be seen that operation of either pedal willrelease the brake, to allow the chair to be rotated about its verticalaxis. By means of the interlocking of the pedals through the levers 41and 42 and the pin 43 x and bushing 43', should the attendant inadymechanism already described, to open the passage' 13, communicating withthe reservoir 19 byway of port 47, and at the same time the air valve 16will be actuated to admit air under pressure, by way of the pipe 2O andport 18, to the passage 50 communieating with the reservoir 19, over thetop of the fluid in said reservoir. So soon as the ciently to overcomethe inertia of the plungers 3 and 8, andtheir load, the fluid will causethe plungers to move upwardly, the upward movement of the plunger 8,gradually displacing the iuid in the cylinder 9, land forcing the samethrough the ports 45 and 46 provided in the walls of the plunger 8, tothe space beneath the plunger 3, to cause the latter to move upwardlyrelatively to the plunger 8. If the pedal 40 is now released, the valve23 will be returned by the sprlng 34: to the position shown in Flg. 1,and the air valve to the position shown in Flg. 2, thus cutting offsimultaneously, the passage of Huid to the bottom of the plunger 8, andthe admission of air to the top of the iuld in the reservoir 19.The-chair will now be held stationary. Should'there be any leakage ofair from the reservoir 19, and a consequent drop in pressure in the saidreservoir, the iuid under the plungers will tend to flow back to thereservoir 19, due to the weight of the plungers and their load, but thiswill cause the valve 23 to be rotated pressure within the reservoir hasrisen sufli l about its pivot to close o the port 4,7 and thus preventany discharge'of fluid from beneath the plungers; the chair thereforewill remain nuits elevated position. y

Assuming now that it is desired to elevate .the chair still farther, thepedal 10 may be and their load', when it will rotate on its pivot,uncovering the port 47, and allow fluid to flow beneath the stillfarther. t. Should thev attendant neglect to remove his xfoot from thepedal 40, the plungers 8 plungersto elevate them Y and 3 willnevertheless come to rest auto-- matically and without shock or jar, byreason of the `fact that as the plunger 8 approaches its 'upper limitof, movement, it gradually closes oil" the ports and 46, thereby cuttingoil the circulationof Huid from the cylinder 9, which is acting upon theplunger 3, and the plunger 8 will be prevented from moving upwardly anyfarther, by the member 10`carried at the 4bottom of said plunger seatingagainst the shoulder 48 provided at the top of the cylinder 9.

To `lower .the chair, the attendant dei presses the pedal 39, to actuatethe crosshead .32 downwardly as viewed in Fig. 4,

moving the valves 23 and 16\into position to permit the discharge of-luid from beneath the plungers 3 and 8, that beneath the plunger 8iowing by way of passage 13 back to the reservoir 19, and that beneaththe plunger 3 lowingback into-the'cylinder 9 as the plunger 8 movesdownwardly, the air exhausting from the reservoir 19 by way of passage50, and ports 18 and 17 to the atmosphere. Asthe plunger 8 nears'itslower limit of travel, the projection 12 on the member 10, byenteringithe passage 13 gradually cuts off the passage ,of fluid frombeneath the plunger andthe plunger will come to rest.

gently and easily, with the projection 12 resting on the boss'l formedin the bottom 'of the passage 13, as shown in Fig. 1,.

`W'ith a load on the chair, with the chairy in elevated position, theluid in the reservoir 19, is under a pressure Adepending upon the weightof the chair and 'its load, and should the chair have been brought torest on its up motion,the valve 23'will be inthe position shown in Fig.1'. If theload on the chair were nowfremoved, the .chair will remain inthe same position, although the` presf sure in the reservoir =wouldtendto force the Huid therein in a direction to low beneath the plunger 8,but this How is prevented by the valve 23, which has closed the passage13, and the pressure from the reservoir 19 will merely press the valvemore rmly against its seat 'to maintain the said passage closed. Orshould the valve 23 be in position to close olf the port 47, due toleakage of air from the reservoir 19, with the chair at rest, or due tothe fact that the chair was stopped on the down motion, leaving thepassage 13 open, the pressure from the reservoir 19 if it exceeds thepressure on the fluid due to the weight of the chair with the load oi',would at once cause the valve 23 to rotate on its pivot. andimmdiatelyrclose 0E the passage 13. vIf the pressure on the fluid due tothe weight of the chair is higher than the pressure in the reservoir 19,the valve will be merely held more rmlyseated to close oft' ythe port47.Also it is to be-noted that should\ a person of comparatively lightweight seate in the chair, be replaced by one of heavier weight, theextra load on the chair will not cause the chair to settle, for thevalve 23 would at once close 0E `the port 47iand prevent any iow of Huidback to the reservoir 19.

It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, that, we have provided the valves 23and 16 with suiicient lap to permit the pedals 39 and 40 to be .operatedto actuate the brake mechanism, without, however,`actua'ting the valvessuiiciently to uncover the ports controlled thereby. y

Any air which may find its Way to the cylinder 9 may be exhaustedtherefrom, by merely unsci'ewing the rod 7 slightly, and raising theplungers 3 andz8 by hand, and then allowing them to settle back intoplace by their own weight; the fluid in the plunger 3 will How into thecylinder 9 and fill it up, and ythe' air will be forced out and throughthe Huid in the plunger 3, where it may escape to the atmosphere betweenth rod 7 and the seat of the chair.

It will be seen from the aforegoing, that we` have provided an apparatusof the class described, which is simple in construction,

positive in action, and which to be operated requires practically noexertion on the part of the operator.

l We have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, but weappreciate' without departing from the spirit and scope 0f ourinvention. We desire, therefore, not- `to be limited to the precisedetails of construction and arrangement of parts shown,

but whatwe claim as new, and desire to se- 1." In an adjustable chair,supporting cure by Letters Patent of the United States means for theseat of the chair, a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing underpressure a fluid in said chamber, to actuate the seat-supporting means,ports for the passage of fluid to and from said fluid chamber, and aslide valve automatically controlling said ports.

2. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid chamber, a pressure supply for lacing under pressure a fluid insaid cham er to actuate the seat-supporting means, pressure supply anddischarge ports, and a slide valve automatically controlling the flow offluid through said ports alternately for pressure or discharge.

3. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid under pressure insaid chamber to actuate the seat-supporting means, ports for the passageof the fluid to and from the fluid chamber, a slide valve forcontrolling said ports, operating means therefor, and' means cooperatingwith said .valve whereby the latter will automatically close off' eitherof said orts Without actuation of the said operating means.

4. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid under pressure insaid chamber to actuate the seat supporting means, ports for the passageof the fluid to and from the fluid chamber, a slide valve forcontrolling said ports, operating means therefor for adjusting thechair-seat-supporting-means, said valve operating automatically underthe action of the fluid to close ofi' either of said ports Withoutactuation of the valve operating means.

5. In an 'adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply to generate pressure upon the fluidin said fluid chamber to adjust the chair seat supporting'means, aselfadjusting valve for the application of pressure from the pressuresupply, and the yex-y haust of pressure to the atmosphere, a hingedslide valve actuated in part by the direction of flow of the fluid toand from the pressure chamber to automatically maintain the chair seatin any elevated position should a reduction or variation of pressurefrom any cause occur at the source of pressure supply. l

6. In an adjustable chair, plungers supporting the seat of the chair, afluid chamber, a cylinder Within which said plungers may be moved, apressure-regulating selfadjusting valve, a pressure supply controlledthereby, said valve being placed between the source of pressure supplyand the fluid chamber, a hinged slide valve between the fluid chamberand the plunger cylinder, and interlocking pedals connected to thevalves mechanically, by which manipulation of said pedals positivelypredetermines the direction of motion of the said plungers and thereforeof the chair seat.

7. In an adjustable chair, plungers supporting the seat of the chair,afluid cham ber, a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to actuate the chair-seat supporting means, valvescontrolling the pressure supply and the flow of fluid under the actionof the pressure supply, a brake to prevent horizontal rotation of one ofthe plungers, interlocking pedals having operating connections to thevalves and the brake, and means for automatically returning the valvesand brake to normal position by release of pressure from either one ofthe interlocking pedals. l

8. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair, afluid' chamber,a pressure supply for placing a fluid in said chamberunder pressure to adjust the chair-seat supporting-means, a brake forthe chair-seat supporting-means, a self adjusting valve controlling andVregulating the pressure supply, a slide valve actuated in partautomatically by the direction of flow of fluid for controlling saidfluid, interlocking pedals for controlling said valves and brake, and acompression spring guided in cup sleeves and reacting alternately for upor down motion, for returning automatically the entire operatingmechanism to normaln position by which all pressure actuated parts .are'brought to restupon release of pressure sure supply, a slide valvecontrolling thev flow of the fluid under pressure and actuated in partautomatically by the direction of flow of the fluid, a brake forpreventing rotation of one of the said plungers which is adapted to `berotated by hand, interlocking pedals controlling said brake and valves,

ports arranged to automatically limit the axial movement of the plungersunder the action of the fluid under pressure, a valve Within therotatable plunger for facilitating discharge of air whichv would preventaction of the pressure actuated parts, and also to facilitatereplenishment of such fluid as may escape by reason of leakage, andmeans for effecting the automatic return to normal position of theoperating parts of the mechanism, by which the telescopic plungers andpressure actuated parts are brought to rest upon release of pressurefrom either one of the said pedals.

10. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing the fluid in said chamber.under pressure to actuate the seat supporting means, hinged slidechamber to actuate said supporting means,

valve mechanism controlling the supply and exhaust of fluid to and fromsaid supporting means and operatingautomaticall to maintain the chairseat 'in elevate should the pressure on the Huid dueto the Weight of thesupporting means and its load l 'exceed that due to the pressure supply.

'of Huid actuated by the ll. In any adjustable chair, the combinationwith a fluid chamber, supportingmeans for the'seat of the chair, apressure supply for actuating the Huid 'in said chamber to actuate thesupporting means, ports controlling the passage of fluid to saidsupporting means, a hinged slide valve controlling said y,ports andoperating automatically by the 'pressure in the Huid to maintain thesup- .f

porting means in adjusted position. j

- 12. In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat ofthe chair,a fluid chamber, a pressure supply for placing the fluid under pressurein said chamber to actuate -zthe seat supporting means, ports for thepassage of fluid to and from the fluid chamber, and hinged slide valvemechanism controlling the said ports.

13.'In an adjustable chair, supporting means for the seat of the chair,a fluid chamb er, a pressure supply for placing'the iuid in saidchamberunder pressure to actuate said supporting means,- hinged slide valvesaid valve mechanism adapted to be operated byathe pressure on the fluidto maintain the chair.V stationary. j

14. In an adjustable chair,` supporting means for the seat` of thechair, a pressure supply for vplacing a fluid in said chairA underpressure -to actuate said supporting means, a valve for controlling thepressure supply, a valve for controlling the passage pressure supply,single means for actuatin `said valves simultaneously, and means orautomatically restoring the valves to closed position, yone o f saidvalves when not actuated by the said single actuating means operatingautomatically t maintain the chair seat supporting l means stationary. j

15. In an adjustable ,-chair, supporting `means for the seat of thechair, a pressure supply for placingthe fluid in said chamber underpressure to actuate said supportmg means, valve l'mechanism forcontrolling the pressure supply andgthe passa e of. fluid actuatedthereby, a single device or actuating said valve mechanism to elevatethe chair, a single `device for actuating said valve mechanlsm to llowerthe chair, and

y means for preventing the simultaneous option of supporting means for'4the seat of the Y eration of said single devices. v 16. In an adjustablechair,`the combinaposition v for placing'the fluid under pressure insaid valve mechanisms for controllingv the pressure supply and thelpassage of fluid actuated thereby, single means foractuating said valvemechanisms simultaneously to cause the chair seat supporting means to beelevated, a single means for actuating the valve mechanismssimultaneously to lowerf the chair seat supporting means, and meansoperating automatically to always restore the valve mechanisms toposition to main-v tain the chair seat supporting means in any desiredposition, said valves operating automatically to prevent movement of thechair ,seat supporting means in an ascending direction except, thepressure in the fluid due to the pressure supply exceeds that due to theWeight of the chair seat supporting means and its load.

' 17. In an adjustable chair supporting Vtuating the valve mechanismWill operate the mechanism for controlling the horizontal rotation ofthe4 chair seat without actuating thevalve mechanism to operativeposition.

' 18. In an adjustable chair, -the combination vvith a fluid chamber,supporting means for the seat of the chair, a pressure supply forforcingr fluid from said chamber beneath the supporting means, a hingedslide valve controlling the passage of fluid s to and from said fluidchamber, and adapt- Max ed to automatically prevent the passage of fluidbeneath the supporting means shuld the pressure on the Huid due to theweight of the supporting means and its load be less than the pressure onthe fluid due to the pressure supply. y v

19. In an adjustable chair, the combination with a fluid chamber,supporting means for the seat of the chair, a pressure supply forforcing fluid *from said chamber beneath the supporting means, portscontrolling the passageof Huid to and from said Huid chamber, a hingedslide valve controlling said ports, and adapted .to automaticallyprevent tliefflow of iuid back to the fluid chamber should the pressurein the Huid chamber due to the pressure supply be lower than that on thefluid due to the lweight of thesupporting means and its load.' 20. In anadjustable chair, the combination of a fluid chamber, supporting meansfor the seat of the chair, a ressure supply for forcing fluid from saichair beneath the supporting means, a hinged slide valve controlling thepassage of fluid to and from said fluid chamber, and adapted toautomatically prevent the passage of Huid to the supporting means shouldthe pressure on the Huid due to the weight of the supporting means andits load be less than ,the pressure on the fluid due to the pressuresupply.

21. In an adjustable chair, the combination with a fluid chamber, ofsupporting means for the seat of the chair, a pressure supply foractuating said uid to actuate the supporting means, a valve controllingthe Huid, a valve controlling the pressure supply,.means for operatingsaid valve simultaneously, and a spring compressed by movement of thevalves to raise or lower the supporting means to restore the valves ber,a pressure supply for placing a fluid 1n saidchamber under' pressure toelevate the chair seat, and a hinged slide valve controlled by thepressure in the fluid for automatically maintaining the chair seat inelevated position.

23. In an adjustable chair, a fluid'chamber, hollow plungers thereinforming a support for the seat of the chair, valve mechanism in one ofsaid plungers for replenishing the Huid in said chamber with fluid fromsaid plunger. y

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this speciication.

GODFREY R. REBMANN. WILLIAM H. HULTGREN.

